10 Best Hair Straighteners and Flatirons 2025, Tested Firsthand

Silk’n says the SilkStraight’s infrared red light therapy allows you to style at a lower heat to reduce overall damage and helps retain moisture, so it effectively smooths and minimizes frizz. We like that it’s a straightener and curling iron in one and that it’s quick to style hair while being extremely gentle on all hair types. It never (we mean never) gets overly hot.

Testing notes: “I’ve been a fan of this straightener from the moment I turned it on. The iron quickly heats up—it took no more than 30 seconds—and glides easily through my strands. It didn’t get caught or snag at all. It maintained a consistent temperature that didn’t feel hot enough to singe my hair and gave me a velvety-soft finish. My hair looks super sleek after using this, and I can tell I’ll definitely be reaching for it again and again,” says Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary.

Best for Shorter Hair: Kristin Ess 3-in-One Professional Titanium Hair Straightener

Original photo from Kristine Straker testing Kristin Ess 3-in-One Professional Titanium Hair Straightener

Original photo from Kristine Straker testing Kristin Ess 3-in-One Professional Titanium Hair Straightener

• What we love: Affordable; lightweight; easy to handle
• What could improve: Gets a little too hot

This affordable straightener is one of the best titanium picks on the list because it’s suitable for a variety of hair types, including curly hair. It has wide, 1.25-inch plates that catch a good amount of hair, and the temperature goes up to 440°F, which helps you achieve a smooth, frizz-free finish.

Testing notes: “As someone with extremely curly 3C hair, I found this iron to be very effective. It heats up quickly and offers three distinct heat settings. The lowest setting was my preferred choice. My hair felt smooth and manageable after use. I appreciate the sleek design and was able to utilize the three-in-one function to add some body to my hair, as I typically prefer it with volume rather than styled sleekly,” says Glamour tester Kristine Straker.

Best for Natural Curls: T3 Lucea 1-Inch Professional Straightening and Styling Iron

Original photo from Tanisha Cherry testing T3 Lucea Professional Straightening and Styling Iron

Original photo from Tanisha Cherry testing T3 Lucea Professional Straightening and Styling Iron

• What we love: Nine adjustable settings make it gentle on hair; easy to use
• What could improve: A bit pricey

If you have type 4 curls, Glamour contributor Tanisha Cherry swears by the T3 Lucea Flat Iron. This ceramic-plated pick is super gentle on hair and styles quickly, without the need for dozens of passes.

Testing Notes: “I’ve been using this pick for my silk presses for five years now, and she delivers every single time. With natural type 4 hair, I’m super picky about my heat tools. I want that bone-straight finish without compromising my curls. Depending on how well my blow-dry turns out, I don’t always need high heat, and that’s where this flatiron shines. It heats up fast and has nine adjustable heat settings, which gives me total control. What really seals the deal is that I can do just one pass on blow-dried hair and still get a straight and smooth finish. And it gets super close to my roots without burning me, which is major. I only use it on freshly washed and blow-dried hair when I’m going for a silk press, so about two to three times a month, and it never disappoints,” says Cherry.

Best for Less Heat Damage: Dyson Airstrait

Original photo from Brigitt Earley testing Dyson Airstrait

Original photo from Brigitt Earley testing Dyson Airstrait

• What we love: Less direct and intense heat means less damage over time; wide range of styling settings and modes (wet, dry, rough-dry, smoothing boost); LCD screen; intelligent airflow; temperature control
• What could improve: Slower process than traditional flatirons